Honors Community

I came to Union when I could have gone to any other school because I wanted to experience Christian community and worldview, and I absolutely got that through Honors. The friends I made through Honors became my 'people' even more than anyone from my discipline/major because I absolutely loved the way we wrestled with complex issues of faith and theology and philosophy and life together, with intellectual humility and a seeking of wisdom. The way I saw a Christian worldview taught and used in Honors was not one-dimensional, had all the complexity and layers and nuance that I had always longed to experience but never had, and I can sincerely say that learning to engage my Christian beliefs and intellectual side together, especially with others, has substantially strengthened my faith. Honors taught me that I can and should take my faith seriously and holistically and I am forever grateful. — graduate survey ('22)

Honors was a critical part of my development and STEAM education at Union. Discipline Specific Honors provided an opportunity to go deeper technically in areas of personal interest, but General Honors and community involvement provided an opportunity to learn intellectual honesty, empathy, and creativity. I gained the key ability to work with others whose ideas and opinions clash with my own, not only to be kind and cordial, but also to actively work towards a difficult objective. Utilizing diverse experiences, especially when collaboration is difficult, has proven essential to beautiful designs, creative solutions, and personal development. — Matthew Owen ('19), Engineer for the Boeing Company and graduate student in Aerospace Systems Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville

The Honors Community encouraged me to deeply engage with difficult questions and concepts in a way that fostered intellectual, professional, personal, and spiritual growth unrivaled by any other experience I've had. The support and love I received from relationships built within Honors were crucial to my success during some really difficult times, and the conversations I had during my time at Union are still forming the way I think about work, life, and scholarship years later. — Josie Carrier ('20), PhD Student in Sociology at Penn State University

I was taught practically how to wed deep thinking with devotion to the Lord. — student survey ('16)

Pursuing what is good, true, and beautiful in a community of passionate young believers has enabled me to love my God with my whole mind, spurring me to better love my church, school, and community. — Tricia Patton ('18), RN

Around the seminar table in Honors, wrestling with tough questions is less about cerebral prowess and more about humility — and guts... My brain and my heart are both more spacious because of Honors. — graduate ('14)

I learned how to be a human and a Christian while at the same time learning the actual material I needed. Honors puts the soul in education. — Seth Brake ('14), PhD student in Political Science at the University of South Carolina

Being a part of the honors community gives you something to belong to and people to interact with who largely share your academic drive and goals. It is quite possibly the most engaging and positive community on this campus. — graduate survey ('21)

The way the professors live stays with me vividly. Their attentiveness to and love for students, their wonder at the material, and their Christlikeness have become models of virtue for me... I have learned under some incredibly zealous, humble, faithful, hopeful, love-ful teachers, and my soul has been and will continue for years to be turned nearer to God because of them. — graduate survey ('16)

The Honors Community was hands down the most formative element of my intellectual development at Union. — Trey Weise ('14), MA, high school English teacher

Participation in the Union honors program provided the opportunity to engage big questions in a vibrant intellectual community... The experience has provided valuable perspective in the world of science and medicine so focused on empirical information but sometimes lacking consideration of meaning. — Philip Kurtzweil, MD ('15)

The Honors Community breathed additional life into all areas of my experience at Union University. — graduate survey ('20)

Not only did the Community invite me to ask good questions, it uncovered a love for Creation and Creator like never before, a love shared with new friends and mentors who still shape me today! — David Banister ('20), MDIV Candidate at Fuller Seminary, Multiethnic Ministries Cohort

Coming into Union, I... was skeptical about the ways my faith could effectively integrate with academics. I was unsure if the questions I had were okay to ask. I would just like to say thank you for welcoming my questions and for demonstrating the ways one can be both a faithful follower of Christ and a thoughtful scholar. — graduate survey ('20)